The Artless and Charmed Moment
by Streetlight Person
Summary: A quick oneshot, quite pointless if you ask me. Just a little blurb about the scene in the movie when Ennis comes up behind Jack and embraces him. '...the single artless, charmed moment in their seperate and difficult lives.', Proulx.


A/N: Not too good at these things...Anyway, this is my first time posting on here. A bad piece to start with, but I was bored. It's a short little thing; it doesn't really have a point. I just wrote it a while ago in reaction to my favorite passage from the book and my favorite minute of the movie. So, I guess that's it. Oh yes, and I realize that this part does, in the movie at least, take place in the early evening, I'm assuming. It's still light out in the film, but here I wrote it as if it were nighttime. I don't know why, but I liked that feel better. So yes, just wanted to get that out there. Here it is. -PF-

* * *

Jack stood before a glowing fire and watched the bright orange flames dance and touch each other, becoming one in the process, if only for a few seconds, until finally separated by the brisk cold and gone in a flash. He couldn't help but think of Ennis. They were like the two flames that touched for a savory moment, and all too soon pulled apart by the frigid world that deemed them so wrong. Jack looked up into the distance: an endless horizon of looming lavender mountains that seemed to blend with the painted pink-purple sky, never-ending yet constantly changing. He refocused his stare to search a sloping green valley laden with thousands of gray puffs, until a figure of a contrasting color came into view. It was Ennis, atop a brown mare. Jack watched him for a while, as a feeling of intense longing filled every pore of his body; engulfed all of his senses; enraptured his heart.

He diverted his eyes back to the settling fire as the flames touched and danced and made love to each other. The pastel clouds began to fade and a dark blue stream formed high in the sky. It was silent, even the sheep's bleating was inaudible, only the fire crackling every so often and a soft whistling of a slight breeze up in the treetops could be heard. The crickets began their orchestra, a soft lullaby to a dozing Jack. In this standing position, his eyes slowly closed as his muscles relaxed and all of his weight, physical and emotional, dropped to his feet. He had reached such a state of waning consciousness that he did not hear the rustle of soil as Ennis, riding a large-hoofed steed, dismounted and walked towards him. Ennis smiled as he took in the sight from behind andwithout hesitation, he crept up behind Jack and wrapped his arm around him, saying, "Come on now, you're sleeping on your feet like a horse," and after a moment, "My mama used to say that to me when I was little."

With this, Jack was awoken from a half-conscious slumber, but was not startled. Instead, he felt a great comfort from the embrace and relaxed his body against Ennis, who then whispered, "and sing to me," and began humming a mother's lullaby into Jack's ear. Leaning against one another, they could feel the steady, constant heartbeat that each had come to crave feeling. Jack heard the slow, silent breaths escape Ennis's lips which emitted a warm air against his neck. The comforting silence took over as he almost dozed off again, his head falling forward and chin resting against Ennis's strong, supporting arm. After a moment he picked his head back up as Ennis continued to softly sing to him, his body providing not only warmth but safety and security to Jack, who secretly longed for this moment to last forever. Alas, Ennis held him for what felt like hours but was really only a few precious moments before he said, "Gotta go, cowboy. See you in the morning," and pulled away from Jack, who fought back the urge to hold on and make him stay, for tomorrow seemed too far away. Yet he said not a word as Ennis mounted his horse and rode off into the dark distance, away from the one person who wanted him most.

Jack watched him for as far as he could see, and even after only darkness was visible. He felt his heart wrench inside of him, knowing in his subconscious that this sweet memory he would come to long for day and night. He never wanted Ennis to let go of him. For it was only in his arms that he felt right. Anywhere else was a mistake, a place where nothing worked and he was left lost and confused.

The most sacred memories are those that only last for a few seconds, but are held onto for a lifetime.

And this was one memory that would test the strength of time itself, for it represented a feeling that would never die, a bond that would never be broken, and a love that would never grow old.

* * *

A/N, the Sequel: So, you got down this far? You must have been bored. Well, I thank you for taking the time to read this pointless drabble. You may now go on with your life. Have a nice day. -PF- 


End file.
